Miracle Story Ansel

At 20 weeks pregnant, Joanna, from Moose Jaw, SK., and her family received heartbreaking news: their second baby boy, Ansel, had a rare serious heart defect known as Transposition of the Great Arteries. Once born, Ansel required immediate medical intervention to ensure his survival.

Following the diagnosis, the family was referred to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital (JPCH) to consult with the cardiology team. Joanna spent the rest of her pregnancy undergoing routine echocardiograms at JPCH to monitor Ansel’s condition.

“We feel so fortunate to have the amazing cardiology team in the province of Saskatchewan. Not only did they give us excellent prenatal counseling and regular echocardiograms, they saved my son’s life and gave us hope when we were feeling so scared about our child’s diagnosis and future,” Joanna shared.

Ansel was born on March 13, 2023, at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital. Within an hour of his birth, he was given a balloon septostomy due to critically low oxygen saturation. Ansel spent time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at JPCH before being flown to Edmonton for life-saving surgery at just five days old.

Ansel’s journey continued with regular follow-up appointments with the exceptional cardiac team in Saskatoon. Reflecting on the experience, Joanna expressed immense gratitude. 

“Ansel will lead a great life and it’s really all thanks to JPCH. We are so proud to be his parents and also to educate the people we know about heart conditions,” said Joanna gratefully.  

Today, Ansel is thriving. He leads a happy and full life, enjoying time with his family and playing energetically with his older brother. Despite the challenges of his first few months, Ansel’s resilience and the unwavering support of JPCH have paved the way for a bright future.

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